This invention relates to a purse or satchel containing a concealed alarm device triggered by withdrawal of a prong and inactivated upon reinsertion of said prong.
Various devices have been disclosed for the triggering of an alarm upon unauthorized removal or opening of handbags or other types of purses. Most of these devices, such as those of Tucci et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,096, or Cooper, U.S. Pat. No. 2,461,588, and most of the references cited in said two patents, deal with alarm systems triggered by unauthorized opening of a purse. An alarm actuated by a pulling action on a purse in excess of a predetermined force has been disclosed by Hartley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,290. However, this alarm is secured externally to the purse, and can therefore be quickly cut off or torn off the purse by a robber, who might thereafter quietly escape with the loot. Furthermore, Hartley's device can not be readily inactivated by its owner in cases of false alarm, and it requires the replacement of the entire device or at least of a pressurized gas container after each single use.
Another type of alarm actuated by a pulling action on the handle of a purse is taught by Dixon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,140. Here the alarm device can not be easily inactivated by a thief, but neither can it be easily deactivated by its rightful owner following an accidental jerking. Moreover, neither Hartley's nor Dixon's device would trigger the alarm in cases where the purse is quietly spirited away without a pulling action after cutting the handle in one or two spots.
For a purse or satchel to be adequately protected against theft or robbery, its alarm should be activated whenever it is separated from its owner by whatever means, whether by brute force or adroit steath. Furthermore, in order for a robber to be motivated to drop his loot and for the purse to be easily retrieved by the police or other pursuers, a continuously sounding alarm should form an integral part of that purse, and this alarm must not be easily inactivated except by its owner.
A "theft-proof suitcase" disclosed by Chiu et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,079 includes an alarm circuit which is activated upon withdrawal of a jack. However, the device of Chiu et al. must resort to a combination lock located within the suitcase in order to deactivate the alarm. The procedure required for deactivation appears to be cumbersome, rather long-lasting, and hence quite annoying. An owner having to deactivate the alarm in public would be attracting much unwanted attention, and his procedure might be watched and thereafter copied by a thief. Furthermore, some of the elderly persons for whom a purse alarm would be most beneficial may find it difficult to remember the right combination.
Elderly, sickly or otherwise handicapped persons may require assistance on short notice, e.g., when facing an assailant or when in need of help with urgently called for medication in case of sudden recurrence of a serious illness. Such persons could benefit from an alarm which they might easily trigger when finding themselves in trouble. Similarly, even young and healthy women having to walk alone at night might feel safer with an easily activated alarm that could ward off molesters. However, the owner of such a purse alarm should preferably be able to readily activate it and deactivate at will, and repeatedly, without having to go through an elaborate procedure after each single use.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an alarm device which can be readily activated and inactivated by its owner, repeatedly if need be, whenever said owner is faced with an emergency requiring the attention of or assistance from any persons within hearing range.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an alarm device forming an integral part of a purse or satchel and not being easily accessible to deactivation by unauthorized persons.
It is yet another object of our invention to provide an alarm system which will be activated whenever a purse or satchel is snatched or otherwise wrongfully separated from its rightful owner by whatever means.
It is still another object of this invention to make it extremely difficult or nearly impossible for an unauthorized person to deactivate the alarm after having wrongfully gained possession of said purse or satchel.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a personal and handbag protection device that is not only simple to use but also of sufficiently simple construction to render its cost reasonable to its potential users.